Congress’ guarantees implemented in Karnataka amid BJP’s false propaganda: DK Shivakumar
Latur, Nov 17: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday accused the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of spreading disinformation in Maharashtra, asserting that his party has implemented all its poll guarantees in the southern state.
Addressing a press conference, he expressed confidence that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP), will win the November 20 assembly elections and give Maharashtra a better government.
He said the Congress government in Karnataka has implemented its five key guarantees, including Rs 3,000 monthly assistance to homemakers, loan waivers up to Rs 3 lakh for farmers, Rs 25 lakh health insurance per family, Rs 4,000 monthly allowance for unemployed youth, and free bus travel for women.
The funds are being directly credited to women’s bank accounts, said the Congress leader.
“The skyrocketing inflation has burdened citizens immensely,” said Shivakumar, and slammed the BJP over the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue in Sindhudurg district in August.
"They even misused funds for this. As a citizen, I feel ashamed,” he said.
He also accused the BJP of not fulfilling its earlier promises, including a railway coach factory in Latur that was supposed to create 50,000 jobs.
“Not a single coach has been produced, nor has anyone gained employment,” he said, alleging that the BJP and PM Modi are running a disinformation campaign.
The Karnataka deputy CM predicted that MVA would win over 175 of the state’s 288 assembly seats and appealed to people to elect late CM Vilasrao Deshmukh’s sons Amit Deshmukh and Dhiraj Deshmukh in Latur City and Latur Rural constituencies, respectively.
He also released the ‘Latur Report’, detailing sitting MLA Amit Deshmukh’s contributions to the constituency from 2019 to 2024.
BJP has nominated Archana Patil Chakurkar, daughter-in-law of former Union home minister Shivraj Patil, and Ramesh Kashiram Karad in Latur City and Latur Rural seats, respectively.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Bangladesh will seek extradition of Sheikh Hasina, says interim govt chief Muhammad Yunus
Dhaka, Nov 17: Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus said on Sunday that the interim government will seek the extradition of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India after the fall of her government following a mass protest movement in August.
In an address to the nation on the completion of 100 days of the interim government, Yunus also said that his government has been continuing its all-out efforts to ensure the security of all citizens, including religious minorities.
"We must ensure justice in every killing...We will also ask India to send back fallen autocrat Sheikh Hasina," Yunus was quoted as saying by the state-run BSS news agency.
His remarks indicate a U-turn as in an interview with the UK-based Financial Times newspaper last month, Yunus said his government would not immediately seek Hasina’s extradition from India.
Yunus, who assumed office on August 8, claimed that about 1500 people, including students and workers, were killed while 19,931 others were wounded during the protest against the Hasina government.
"Our government is very careful to collect information on every death," he said, adding that the government made arrangements for treatment of the injured in various specialized hospitals, including 13 hospitals in Dhaka.
Hasina, 77, resigned and fled to India following massive protests by students and others against her government over a controversial quota system in government jobs.
She landed at the Hindon airbase near Delhi on August 5. She was believed to have been shifted later to an unspecified location and has not been seen in public since then.
Hasina and her party leaders face accusations of ordering brutal suppression of the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement, resulting in numerous casualties during the July-August protests.
Yunus said his government is investigating every incident in a few cases where religious minorities were subjected to violence.
"We have tried our best so that any citizen of the country, not only Hindu community members, doesn’t become a victim of violence. We will continue these efforts,” he said in his address to the nation.
He said Bangladesh was a completely insecure country when the interim government assumed office.
Yunus said an attempt was made to spread unnecessary fear among the religious minorities.
"In some cases, they have also been subjected to violence. But all the hype about it was completely exaggerated. Those little cases of violence that took place were mainly political,” he said.
But ill efforts were made to make the country unstable again by giving religious colour to these events, he said, adding that the government dealt with the situation firmly with the cooperation of all.
He said that after two months of assumption of office by his government, Durga Puja was celebrated in around 32,000 puja mandaps across the country.
He said the government took extensive security preparations during the Durga Puja so that the Hindu community members celebrate the festival smoothly.
Hindus constitute just about 8 per cent of the 170 million Bangladesh population. The minority Hindu community members have faced regular vandalism of their businesses and destruction of temples during and since the protest erupted, resulting in the ouster of Prime Minister Hasina.
Yunus also said that the Election Commission (EC) will be formed soon while an election roadmap will be announced after competing reforms in the electoral system.
"Once the electoral reforms are decided, you will get the election roadmap very soon," he said.
Noting that there is a question in everyone's mind about when the elections will be held, Yunus said the government has started taking necessary steps to hold the elections.
